Wife Nap: The Sequel
by bored-now0809
Summary: Takes place three years after "Wife Nap" left off; just after the first Mummy movie. Basically a look into the life of Ardeth and his wife and all their Med-Jai family. Recommend that you read Wife Nap first.


**AN: Standard disclaimer applies- I own nothing but my OCs. To fully understand this story you should probably read Part I. I hope that you guys like it! I did have to up the rating a little bit- it's nothing too explicit but I decided to go with M just in case**

**OOOOOoooooOOOO**

**Wife Nap- The Sequel**

Voices speaking in Arabic outside of the tent woke Jana up from her afternoon nap. In the three years that she had been living as a Med-Jai, she had finally mastered the language; but it still took her a little time to adjust right after waking up. She blinked a few times, and then felt a rustle behind her.

"Mama, where's Baba?" Jana bit her lip and turned over carefully. She looked down at her two year old daughter, Aaliyah. Her daughter with Ardeth Bey. She felt a pang in her heart looking at her- she had Ardeth's eyes.

"He'll be home soon, darling." Jana answered leaning over carefully to kiss Aaliyah's forehead. Aaliyah moved away and sighed.

"But, all the other warriors are home. Where's Baba?" Aaliyah said insistently. Jana sighed knowing that, like her father, her daughter would not stop until she had an answer.

"I don't know, baby. He- oh!" Jana was interrupted by a kick. She grinned at her daughter. "Looks like your little brother or sister wants to say hello to you."

For once, Aaliyah let herself be distracted. She looked at her mother's expanded waistline with the excited fascination of a two year old. Just as Jana was about to suggest they get up, someone burst into the tent.

"You're still in here? Come, come! It's time to start preparing for the feast tonight!" A Med-Jai woman said rapidly bursting into the bedroom. She began to bustle around the room, folding any scrap of cloth in her way.

"Auntie Muni!" Aaliyah yelled excitedly jumping up and rushing to her Aunt.

"Hello to my favorite niece!" Munisa said bending over to give Aaliyah a quick kiss. She shot an impatient look over at Jana, who was struggling to get up. Jana rolled her eyes.

"Munisa, I really don't think that I should be at the feast tonight." Jana said with a huff. Munisa came over and helped her sister-in-law stand.

"Why not? Why would our leader's wife not attend a feast in honor of the Med-Jai warriors?" Munisa said placing her hands on her hips after ensuring Jana would not topple over. Jana looked over Munisa's shoulder to where Aaliyah was standing and staring at her mother's jewelry.

"Aaliyah, don't even think about playing with that." Jana warned. Aaliyah began to pout and Jana sighed. "Why don't you go out and find Fatima? I'm sure that she and little Abdul are playing lion tamer…" Jana trailed off enticingly.

"Oh! Can I mother?" Aaliyah asked excitedly.

"Of course, darling." Jana said with a smile, remembering the first time she had ever met Fatima herself…

**OOOOOooooooOOOOO**

_Jana had been with the Med-Jai for six months and had finally accepted the fact that no one would find her; this was her life. Her hand absently strayed to her stomach- even if there was a way for to get away from the tribe and find her family, would they want her back? _

_She looked up from her spot underneath the shade of a date palm tree to where Ardeth was training with the men. He was clearly a superior fighter; one of the best. He had been so kind to her. You know, except for the whole abducting her part. She enjoyed talking to him and his family had been very welcoming and friendly, accepting her right away as one of their own. But it was all so different. _

_Jana watched as Ardeth gracefully swung his scimitar in an arc, demonstrating to the younger Med-Jai warrior the proper hold and stance to prevent being disarmed. She was mesmerized by his movements and how natural everything seemed to come to him. She saw him look up from the exercise and survey the camp before their eyes met. He sent her a soft smile and Jana looked down with a blush, not noticing how his smile dimmed a bit when she looked away. _

_She was distracted when someone sat down heavily in the sand next to her. _

"_It's hot today!" The woman exclaimed and began fanning herself with her hand. _

"_Yes, it is." Jana replied in halting Arabic. She was glad that Ardeth had turned out to be such a patient teacher and was insistent that she be able to communicate with everyone in the tribe. She looked at the woman next to her wondering if this woman had been taken from her family and everything she knew as well. _

"_I'm Fatima, Rashid's wife." She said and bowed her head to Jana. Before Jana could answer, Fatima continued. "You must be Ardeth's wife, Jana. We've all, all the new Med-Jai wives anyway, have been wondering when you would come out of the tent!" Jana blushed. _

"_I don't speak Arabic very well." She mumbled. Fatima merely clucked her tongue. _

"_How shall you learn if you do not speak to anyone?" Fatima said after a moment's pause. _

"_Ardeth…he's been teaching me." Jana said hesitantly, unable to meet the other girl's eyes. _

"_Oh, I'm sure he's been teaching you!" Fatima said laughing and was shocked when Jana burst into tears. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Fatima moved over to try comfort Jana. "Shh, Shh, I'm so sorry! Oh, don't worry dear…" She tried to wipe Jana's eyes with the edge of her veil but Jana shook her head. _

_All at once, Jana felt an arm around her shoulder and heard a familiar voice whispering to her in English. Ardeth had come over, she felt her heart swell in both affection towards him and embarrassment that she was such a hassle. _

"_Shh, beloved. Don't be upset. Everything will be alright." He whispered. Jana leaned into him for a moment and let his voice wash over her. She took a deep breath before pulling back a little bit to look up at him and smile. _

"_I don't know what came over me." She whispered meeting his eyes. He kissed her forehead. _

"_Would you like to go back to the tent?" He asked. Jana hesitated. Part of her, a large part of her, screamed that yes, she would very much like to go back to the tent and never come out. But she could see the disappointment in Ardeth's face and she wanted- needed- to prove that she could live here. Looking over to her left, she saw Fatima and Rashid arguing with each other and to their left, the rest of the Med-Jai Ardeth had been training with were looking at her curiously. _

"_No, I'll stay." She smiled at him. Ardeth smiled back in relief before kissing her cheeks and rising and going back to the men. Rashid marched over with Fatima, gave his wife a firm look, then walked back to the men. Fatima sighed and sat down. _

"_I'm sorry I was impolite." Fatima said hesitantly. Jana shook her head and smiled. _

"_No, don't apologize. I'm the one who should be sorry. I've been…not feeling like myself." She said and absently put her hand on her stomach. _

"_Oh! Are you with child?" Fatima asked with an excited look. Jana nodded and Fatima clapped her hands happily. "That must be why you're feeling so out of sorts today." She nodded happily, having solved the mystery. "Now I shall be able to tell Rashid, I was NOT rude." She laughed, throwing her head back. Jana chuckled at her enthusiasm. _

"_And you? Are you expecting?" She asked Fatima. It seemed that most of the women who were "taken" were with child already. Fatima shook her head and looked down a little disheartened. _

"_No. I haven't…" Fatima cleared her throat before squaring her shoulders and meeting Jana's curious gaze. "Rashid has been a very kind and understanding husband." She said with a slight tilt to her chin, as though daring Jana to say anything negative. _

"_Ah. I…I'm afraid I don't quite understand." Jana said with a blush. "It's not my business, I know. But…" She shrugged her shoulders and lowered her voice to a whisper leaning towards Fatima. "Ardeth, Ardeth is very understanding and kind to me, but…I dared not to refuse." _

_To Jana's dismay, Fatima looked down and began twisting her robes in her hands. Twisting and untwisting, until Jana was afraid the fabric would rip and the first woman to try to befriend her would never speak to her again. _

"_I was raped before Rashid took me away from Luxor." Fatima whispered, as though ashamed. She looked up at Jana's sharp intake of breath. Jana put her hand over Fatima's and squeezed in a universal show of support. Fatima felt her lips turn up in a little smile at the show of understanding. _

"_Rashid knew of this when he took me; saved me really." Fatima said. _

"_Saved you?" _

"_Yes, he and Ardeth found me when my Father was about to beat me for the attack-"_

"_What?!" Jana exclaimed outraged. Fatima gave her a curious look. _

"_Yes. Why do you act surprised? To live after such an act only brought disgrace on my family. My father told me every day that I should kill myself rather than to live with the loss of my honor. I was too afraid to; I was just waiting for the day when my father would end our family's dishonor."_

"_Well!" Jana said with a frown. She looked over at Rashid who was watching them surreptitiously from where he was sharpening his sword. He bowed when he saw that she was looking at him. "Well, in my opinion, the man who would do such a thing should be the one to suffer the disgrace or be killed." Jana all but seethed. Fatima gave a chuckle and her new found friend looked at her curiously. _

"_Now, you're beginning to sound like a Med-Jai wife." At Jana's look Fatima elaborated. "That, or some variant of that, is what Rashid's mother said to me when she found the bruises on my neck." Fatima's smile expanded. "At first she was afraid Rashid had done it and was almost out the door to berate him before I could correct her error." Both women chuckled a little before turning their attention back to the training session. _

"_I love watching Rashid practice."Fatima murmured dreamily. Jana bumped shoulders with Fatima playfully._

"_I'm sure it won't be too long before you have one of your own." She said patting her own stomach. Fatima smiled wistfully, neither of the women taking their eyes off of the men training. _

"_It's kind of you to say." Fatima replied and they watched the rest of the training in a companionable silence._

_The desert sun was hot and the men's actions were beginning to slow down. It was approaching the hottest part of the day and the heat was almost a physical presence the air was so thick. Ardeth called a stop to the practice and the men began walking to their tents to wash up before their meal. After a few minutes more, the women got up to follow and prepare the midday meal. _

"_I must return to the tent." Fatima said getting to her feet. She held out a hand and helped Jana get up. _

"_Thanks," Jana said and dusted herself off a little bit. She looked up and saw Fatima appeared to want to say something else. "Was there something on your mind?" _

"_Well, yes. I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to acknowledge me in public. I will understand." Fatima said quietly before turning to go. Jana looked after her dumbfounded before coming to her senses and calling out after her. _

"_Fatima, won't you and Rashid join Ardeth and me for dinner tonight? I'm sure that Ardeth would enjoy having you both over." Jana said at last. Fatima stopped for a moment, then turned around and bowed to her new friend. _

"_We should be most honored." Fatima replied before both girls went back to their own tents. _

_Jana was glad to have found Fatima as a friend. It was Fatima who had helped Jana understand the events around her through the perspective of one raised in the new world Jana now found herself in. It was through their friendship that helped Jana improve her grasp of both Arabic and the Med-Jai language. And it was Jana's protective nature and feelings towards her new found friend that had initially helped her find her place in the tribe and amongst the women of the Med-Jai as the chief's wife. _

**OOOOOOooooooOOOOOO**

"Jana! Get your head out of the clouds!" Munisa said sharply shaking her head. Jana started. She really loved her sister-in-law, but sometimes she was a pain. At times Jana mused that their irritation with each other as well as the affection that they shared was what truly bonded them as sisters. "Now, why don't you want to go to the feast tonight?" Jana chuckled at the persistence. It must be a Bey family trait, she thought ruefully. "Jana!"

"Alright, alright! Don't get so huffy!" Jana put her hand over her stomach and frowned. "Ardeth isn't here." She finally said quietly. She rushed on when Munisa opened her mouth to respond. "No, everyone else is here or accounted for and now I fear that Ardeth will never return."

The words "and I'll be stuck here for nothing" seemed to hang in the air between the two women. Munisa drew herself up to her full height- which was significantly taller than her brother's wife.

"Well, you must attend. You are still the wife of the chief of this tribe. And with that position comes-"

"Responsibility." Jana interrupted. "I know, Munisa." She sighed looking sadly. "Nothing will be the same without him." Jana finally mumbled. Munisa slumped a little bit and turned away, going back to straightening up the room.

"I know that you miss him; that you care for Ardeth deeply. But even if the worst happens, you will always have a place with us here- you must know that all of us have come to care for you. You are part of our family." Munisa did not wait for a response, but started towards the door. She paused when Jana spoke.

"Don't worry, Munisa. I will be at the feast." Jana said in a tone that conveyed how much she was touched by Munisa's words. Munisa nodded and left Jana alone. Jana looked around the tent, feeling how empty it was all by herself even though she could hear the women's preparations and children laughing through the tent's walls. She felt a tear trickle down her cheek. "I do not know if I can do this, any of this, without Ardeth."

**OOOOOOOoooooooOOOOOOO**

"_I can't! I just can't learn! I've never been able to learn languages." Jana said impatiently and crossed her arms with a huff. Ardeth sighed, slightly frustrated himself with her mental block to learning Arabic. She was very intelligent in many ways, but was honestly not gifted with learning foreign tongues. _

"_I know that this is difficult for you. Perhaps if you were to spend more time with the other women…" He trailed off seeing the mutinous look on her face. _

"_I talk to your sister and mother all the time." She said petulantly. She knew that she was being difficult- much more difficult than the situation merited. But, in a way, Jana wanted to see how far she could push him. To her surprise, rather than getting angry, he gave her an amused smile. _

"_Yes, you do. But they speak to you in English." He laughed at the scowl she sent him. _

"_Why couldn't everyone just learn to speak English?" She muttered irritably and he actually threw back his head and laughed. Jana huffed and turned away from him. Ardeth tucked a finger under her chin and turned her face towards his. His smile was understanding and she felt an answering smile form on her face that she tried to squelch. Ardeth noticed and moved his hand up to stroke her cheek. _

"_Everyone to speak English? And who will undertake such a task?" He asked in a teasing voice. Jana bit her lip. _

"_Well, you speak English very well. How did you learn?" She asked after a moment of silence. When he didn't answer right away she looked up at him and was sorry to find his usual serious expression had replaced the rare playful look._

"_I attended Oxford." He said at last. Jana's eye lit up. _

"_Really? My brother Joey attended Oxford as well!" She exclaimed before she could think about it. Ardeth's look became even more guarded than it was before and he moved away from her and went towards his trunk of weapons, he sat down on a bench next to the chest, his hands absently running over its polished surface. Jana babbled on, feeling the nervousness bubble up inside her as she realized that maybe she didn't want to push Ardeth after all. "Joey attended Trinity College and studied history. I remember I went to visit him there with several of my friends while he was studying there and we all went to a pub where my brother and some of his friends put their college ties on the wall and-"_

"_Yes, I know of this tradition. I attended King's College." He cut her off and she looked up hesitantly at the almost bitter tone in his voice. _

"_Ardeth?" She asked and moved to sit at his feet, wrapping her arms around his legs and resting her chin on his knee. She had only known him for two months but in that time, she had seen many emotions from him; concern, amusement, understanding, patience, and even occasionally anger- but never bitterness. _

_He looked up at her and saw the concern in her eyes and felt some of the bitterness recede. Ardeth allowed a smile to spread across his face and impulsively he tilted her face up so that he could lean forward and kiss her. _

"_I was not…well liked there." Ardeth said eventually. She looked at him curiously and he pulled her up to sit beside him. Jana rested her head on his shoulder and was pleased to feel his hand stroke through her hair. _

"_Why not?" She murmured after they had sat in silence together for a few moments and it seemed that he would not elaborate. Ardeth chuckled a little bit at her persistence. _

"_I was very different from my classmates in my clothes, my appearance, and my manners. They never let me forget it." He paused. "It was not a happy time in my life, but I went because it was my duty." _

"_Your duty?" She asked skeptically, not lifting her head from where it rested comfortably on his shoulder, her eyes fixed on where his hand sat on his leg. At this point she had become well acquainted with the mission of the Med-Jai and was curious how Ardeth attending Oxford fit in with that particular mission. _

"_Yes, to learn the languages of the people searching for the lost city. It was thought to be better that we attempt to warn them away rather than to mercilessly kill all who enter our protected lands." _

_She nodded, understanding that he was probably the driving force behind the decision not to indiscriminately kill everyone who crossed their path. She allowed her hand to drift down to his hand and slowly traced his fingers with her own, not looking up. She wondered what it would've been like if she had met him there; although she guessed that they hadn't been at Oxford at the same time. But still, she couldn't help but wonder. What if they had met when she went to visit her brother? Would they have fallen in love? Would she have gone with him willingly to live this life if given the choice?_

"_So you studied languages?" She asked eventually, not wanting to ponder those questions. _

"_Yes, I can threaten death in at least 7 languages." He replied and she looked up quickly seeing the laughter in his eyes. Jana smiled back in return. _

"_Well, if you can learn 7, I suppose I shouldn't complain about these two you want me to learn." She said in a pleased voice, rather glad that he had shared so much about his past with her. He leaned down and gave her a lingering kiss._

"_Come, we will continue this later." He declared with a fond smile and she grinned back at him and the rest of the day was spent in blissful abandon. _

**OOOOOOOOoooooooOOOOOOOO**

"Aaliyah! Darling, hold still!" Jana exclaimed, trying to wipe her daughter's face clean. The feast was just starting but her daughter had managed to convince her Aunt to give her a pastry before dinner- and had promptly smeared it all over her face. Jana shook her head, Munisa was usually so implacable, but such a soft touch when it came to her niece. Now Jana had to do a quick scrub to ensure that her daughter was presentable. The feast was both celebration and mourning- a celebration for the destruction of the creature and a time of mourning for the loss of their warriors. Both Jana and Aaliyah heard the music start up from inside their tent.

"Mama! The party is starting!" Aaliyah began fidgeting impatiently and Jana tried to fix her daughter's appearance a bit more, but when the drums began to pick up their tempo, she gave up and allowed Aaliyah to run off and join the other children where they were playing and dancing together. Jana followed and made her way over to where Ardeth's parents Basir and Taisha were sitting.

"Jana!" Taisha said and got up from her spot in the circle to kiss her daughter-in-law's cheeks. "We have missed you these past few days. How are you progressing?"

"Taisha, I'm doing well. I have missed you." Jana said with a smile and hugged her mother-in-law back. Soon she found herself engulfed in a hug from her father-in-law.

"Ah! My dear! And where is my darling granddaughter?" Basir asked with a broad smile. Jana grinned back and pointed to where Aaliyah could be seen frolicking with the other children around her age. Basir laughed. "It seems like only yesterday my own brood were dancing at the feasts!" The light faded a little from his eyes and Jana knew that he was thinking of not only Ardeth's missing presence but also that of his two older sons, who had died in battle before she had been brought to the tribe.

"I'm sure Ardeth is just…delayed." Jana said in a low voice, trying not to betray how uncertain she felt that this was true. Basir nodded and patted her arm.

"You're a good girl. Now go, I know that there are many people who wish to speak with you."

"Yes." Jana nodded and moved through the crowd, greeting people as she went. She remembered that a mere three years ago, these people were strangers to her; speaking a language that she couldn't understand. Now, she held a place of honor among them and felt at home with them.

After talking and greeting some of the elders of the tribe, Jana found a group of women that she was friendly with and sat with them a bit enjoying the drums and the celebration. Some of the other women were dancing and the returned warriors were telling stories of their adventures and clashes with the outside world. Sometimes, Jana would think that she heard Ardeth's name mentioned, but she shook it off. The more that she allowed her thoughts to linger on him, the less hope that she had that he was still alive. How could he have lasted for so long without any of his warriors with the Creature on the loose?

"Come Jana! We must see you smile!" Fatima exclaimed, her son settled comfortably on her hip as they watched the dancer. It seemed not that long ago that Fatima herself had been among the dancers.

"I smile!" Jana exclaimed defensively and smiled up at her friend. Too soon, however, her smile was swallowed by a grimace of pain. Fatima rolled her eyes.

"Really my dear, that is pathetic!"

"No, Fatima! I think that my time has come!" Jana exclaimed and moaned a bit as she felt her stomach contract. Fatima's playful smiled drained from her face.

"Adala! Hafiza! Quickly! Take Jana to the tent while I go get Taisha and the midwife!" Fatima called out and the two women looked up quickly at the urgent tones. Noticing the way that Jana was hunched over and the pained look on her face, both women sprung into action.

Soon, Jana found herself in a tent with her mother-in-law and the midwife. She could hear Fatima on the other side of the tent taking care of Aaliyah and Jana's thoughts drifted to her missing husband.

"Ardeth, I want Ardeth." She whimpered as another contraction racked through her body. Taisha placed a damp cloth on her forehead.

"Shh my child. You know that Ardeth will always be with you." She said and brushed Jana's limp hair off her face. Jana nodded miserably as she remembered Aaliyah's birth almost two years ago.

**OOOOOOOooooooOOOOOO**

_Jana felt that the pain would never end. It seemed that she had been in labor for days, although the midwife assured her that it had only been a few hours. She hadn't been here, among these people, for very long and it made her nervous; although she did speak the language much better than she used to. _

_Now it appeared that the only anchor in her new life would be denied to her when she needed him the most- Ardeth was not allowed in the tent while the baby was being delivered. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law would be there and she had grown to trust them and care for them as family in the year that she had been living amongst the Med-Jai, but she wanted Ardeth to be there with her. _

"_There now, this will make you feel better." Taisha said and placed a cool cloth on Jana's forehead. _

"_You're lucky it's winter- you'd be even more miserable if it was the summer." Munisa said with a sardonic smile as she brought a glass of water to Jana's lips. _

"_More miserable? How is that possible?" Jana moaned as another pain hit her. The other women chuckled, both having gone through one summer birth themselves. _

"_Oh, trust me. The heat makes everything worse out here." Taisha said as they helped Jana through her contraction. It ended, leaving Jana panting and exhausted. The midwife looked up at them from her spot at the bottom of the bed. _

"_I think you'll have some time my dear before the next one. Why don't you try to get some rest? Yes? Everything looks fine…just moving slowly." The midwife smiled at them all in a reassuring way but Jana frowned. _

"_How much more slowly can it get?" She muttered and Taisha chuckled at her impatience. _

"_Don't worry, Jana. It's worst the first time around. Your body has never done this before, so it is bound to be slower. We shall leave you to get some rest." They all left the tent and Jana looked around at her surroundings skeptically, wondering at the strange course of her life. _

"_Jana." She heard a voice call her name and looked around, but saw no one in the tent. She frowned in confusion. "Jana." The voice called again and her frown deepened. _

"_Yes?" She answered tentatively wondering if she was going insane. _

"_It is I. Ardeth." _

"_Ardeth?" She asked and looked around before spotting his shadow on the wall of the tent. She felt tears come to her eyes. "You're here?" _

"_Where else would I be?" Ardeth asked with a laugh in his voice, but she had known him for over a year now and had lived with him as man and wife- she was able to hear the underlying tension underlying his tone. He was worried. "I wish I could be in there with you." He said and she felt her heart soar. _

"_I wish that too." Jana said and felt herself becoming drowsy. "Will you stay until it's over?" _

"_Of course, beloved." He replied with warmth in his voice. And he did. It was a comfort to her as she struggled through the rest of the birth, to see his shadow on the tent wall, to know how deeply he cared for her. _

_And before she knew it, Jana was holding her first born; a daughter. Then Ardeth was allowed into the tent with her to hold his daughter and thank his wife. As he looked down on her while holding his daughter, he felt a contentedness that he had never felt before._

"_What shall we name her?" Jana asked smiling drowsily from her place on the bed. _

"_Aaliyah." Ardeth said after studying his daughter's sleeping face. He looked up and saw Jana's curious look. "It means 'sublime'." _

"_Mmmm…perfect." Jana mumbled reaching her hand out towards the baby. Ardeth grasped her hand and kissed her palm. _

"_I love you more than I can say." Ardeth told her in a whisper as her eyelashes fluttered shut. Jana's lips curved up in a smile and she fell asleep. Ardeth looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms and his sleeping wife in the bed before sitting down beside the bed with the baby still in his arms. He sighed. "Someday, I pray that you will love me too." _

**OOOOOOoooooooOOOOOOOOooooooo**

Ardeth was weary as he approached the camp. He had journeyed for many days through the desert, wounded. But he knew that he must persevere, he must be strong. His people needed his safe return. His family needed him home.

He heard the drums and saw the glow of the fire from a distance. Knowing that distances in the desert could be misleading, he waited before spurring his steed into action. He imagined the scene that would greet his arrival. No doubt, they were celebrating the return of the warriors. He pictured dancing, and laughter, and his precious daughter running around and leaping, not aware of what his long absence could signify.

He pictured his wife sitting at the fireside, doing her duty, but aware of what it meant that he had not returned with the others. He imagined her, by now large with their second child, looking up and seeing him riding in, her face lighting up with love and running to greet him as fast as she could. Ardeth could wait no longer and pushed his steed as fast as he could. Before he knew it he was on the outskirts of the Med-Jai camp.

"Who goes there?" A sentry challenged him and Ardeth answered with the secret password. "Ardeth? Is that you?!" The sentry asked and Ardeth nodded.

"I have travelled long to be here tonight." Ardeth said with a smile and the guard called out to the camp in delight.

"Ardeth has returned! Our chief has returned to us!"

Soon it seemed that everyone in the camp was pushing around Ardeth, to greet him and hear of his miraculous survival. He craned his neck to try to find his family but did not see any of them. He frowned at their absence. He knew that his dream of Jana's joyful greeting might not have happened as he imagined it, but he had at least expected his mother and sister to greet him happily.

"Ardeth my son!" Basir Bey said happily clapping Ardeth on the back. Ardeth stumbled a bit, weak as he was from his long journey. "We now have more reason than ever to celebrate!" Basir exclaimed and the crowd burst into cheers again, the drums and dancing beginning once again. Ardeth smiled at everyone and greeted them happily even as his eyes continued to search the crowd for those that he wanted to see most.

"Father, where are the others?" Ardeth asked with a slight frown as a sudden panic struck him. "Nothing has happened? Are they alright?" His father chuckled.

"My son, rest easy. Nothing has happened. Well, I should say that it is happening now." Basir said with a grin. Ardeth looked at his father confused.

"What is happening? I must see Jana and Aaliyah, Father." Ardeth felt himself swoon a bit as his rising worry and weak state caught up with him. His father supported him a bit.

"Calm yourself, my son. Aaliyah is with Fatima-"

"And Jana? Father, what has happened when I was away…I shall never forgive myself-"

"Ardeth, here drink this." Basir said and pushed his son to take a sip of water. "I did not mean to alarm you. Jana's time has started. She is with your mother, sister, and the midwife now. Do not be alarmed." Ardeth felt himself relax a little bit, but not for long.

"I must go to her." He said after a moment's pause. Basir nodded.

"We shall send one of the women in to tell her that you have returned." Basir said and went to pull Ardeth towards his own tent.

"No, I must go myself; right now." Ardeth said and broke free of his father's warm embrace to where he now saw Fatima sitting with Aaliyah and little Abdul.

"Ardeth!" Basir called after his son, worried that he was not taking proper care of himself. But Ardeth merely walked on towards where he knew Jana to be.

"Baba!" Aaliyah called out when she saw Ardeth walking towards them. She threw herself at her father and he scooped her up into a tight hug. "I missed you! Where were you?"

"My little flower, I've missed you too, very much." His kissed her hair before putting her back down, unable to hold her aloft for long. Aaliyah pouted a little at being put down, but quickly latched onto her father's leg. He chuckled at her display of affection.

"Fatima says that my little brother is coming tonight!" Aaliyah exclaimed happily.

"Yes, soon you shall have a new playmate. Are you excited?" Ardeth asked, allowing his own heart to be lightened by his daughter's innocent happiness.

"Yes!" She exclaimed happily and before he knew it they were at the door of the tent that held Jana and the others. Ardeth could hear his wife's voice above all the others but wasn't sure what was going on. He did not wait to find out, but burst into the tent.

"Jana!" He exclaimed and all the women turned to look at him in shock.

"Ardeth! My son!" Taisha exclaimed joyfully before moving over to hug and kiss Ardeth, tears flowing down her cheeks. Munisa quickly followed her mother, and Ardeth noticed the bundle that his sister was holding. She smiled tearfully up at her brother.

"Yes, my brother. This is your first born son." There was a twinkle in her eye that Ardeth was used to seeing when they were younger. It meant that there was something she was holding back; something that she thought was amusing. Ardeth ignored the look and picked up his son.

"He was waiting for you to name him." A soft voice from the bed said and Ardeth turned to look at his wife. She looked tired and was crying, but Ardeth saw love in her eyes; love that was directed at him. He moved towards her but stopped after his first step.

"Jana?" He asked surprised and her smile only widened.

"Yes, two sons." She said and Ardeth moved towards her and sat next to her on the bed. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly before pulling back and looking at her happily.

"We'll leave you alone and spread the joyful news to the rest of the tribe." Munisa said and she and the rest of the women left the tent. Jana and Ardeth could faintly hear them telling Fatima and Aaliyah on the other side of the tent. Inside, they sat in silence, studying each other and trying to memorize all the faint changes that had happened during their separation.

"I should like to name the first born Yousef." Ardeth said at last and Jana looked up at him in surprise. He shifted the baby slightly in his arms and reached one hand out to her, touching the very ends of her hair tentatively.

"After my brother, Joey?" Jana asked after a moment of silent contemplation. Ardeth nodded.

"I know that you miss your family very much." He said and she closed her eyes. Ardeth let his hand drop away from her. "I do love you Jana, very much." She opened her eyes and looked at him steadily. Ardeth forced himself to meet her gaze.

"I would like to name our second son." She paused and continued at his nod. She lowered her eyes not able to meet his intense look. "I would like to name him Umar." She declared and looked up after Ardeth did not reply after a few moments. She was surprised to see the shocked look on his face.

"Jana, does this mean…" He trailed off and she reached out a hand to him. He grasped her hand with his free one.

"Yes. Umar because of the beautiful life that you have given me, here with you; with you and our daughter. And now our two sons." Jana said and squeezed the hand holding her own.

Ardeth leaned close to her and kissed her again and then rested his head on top of hers. Jana felt a tightness in her chest, a tightness that had begun when she first saw Ardeth standing in the doorway. At first she thought that she was hallucinating but when everyone else went to greet him, she knew that it was true. He had truly come back. It was as though her world had gone from black and white back to being in color again. More than anything else, she knew that no matter what path had brought her to this place, this was where she belonged. For the first time in three years, she let go completely of her old life. Jana felt her tears begin again.

Ardeth pulled away when he heard her sniffle a little bit. He put both the babies in their cradles sitting nearby and walked back to his wife.

"What is wrong, Beloved?" He asked moving to lay down on the bed with her, his own fatigue catching up to him. She looked at him and their eyes met. Jana leaned forward and kissed Ardeth very softly. He looked at her searchingly as she pulled away.

"I love you." She said and felt herself smiling as she realized for the first time how long and how deeply she truly loved her husband. Ardeth felt a smile stretch out over his face as well.

"Truly, do you?" He asked amazed and she laughed affectionately and took his hand in her own.

"My life and my love; I give it all to you freely." She said in a serious voice but with affection radiating from every corner of her face. Ardeth felt a sense of relief float over him as he raised her hand to his lips. Together, they slept; knowing that there was nowhere in the world that either of them would rather be.

**OOOOooooOOOOO**

**AN: Please review! Any comments would be helpful. I'm currently in the process of writing part III but am stalled. Parts I and II just sort of flowed and I had no problems with. So I am open to suggestions...is there anything that you would like to see happen to our happy couple next?**


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